


fire-flies

by zuttomo



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Awkward Dates, Fights, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-14 00:16:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19262080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zuttomo/pseuds/zuttomo
Summary: Makoto and Mao get in a fight a few days before, and though it's been resolved, there's still tension in the air. Subaru notices this and... make them go on a date?





	fire-flies

A date.

It's not as if Makoto was uncomfortable with Mao, well if he were to be completely honest, he's not completely sure if he and Mao are completely fine after the argument they just had, but he can't help but feel nervous. So when Subaru and Hokuto suggest (basically demand) the idea that Mao and Makoto spend the entire day together with each other to relieve some tension, he can't help but feel nervous.

"A date? why do we have to go on a..date?" Makoto finally says, avoiding eye contact with Mao. 

"Uuki, we can all feel the tension in the air even if you want to deny it you know! Even if you say it's been solved, you and Sari have been avoiding each other, we can all tell." Subaru says, as Mao just sits in silence, avoiding eye contact with Makoto as well.

"Akehoshi is right, it's not as if your little feud is getting in the way of work, but in all honesty, it's just too stuffy in here for a unit full of friends. If you two would go out together for the whole day and clear some air, that would be nice." Hokuto says in agreement with Subaru.

Argument.

Well, to be honest, it's not as if they had a full on fight, it was just surprising for Mao and Makoto to lash out on each other, despite being as close as they are.

_"Stop talking like you understand Isara-kun, someone who's good at everything like you would never understand... you don't know what it's like," Makoto yelled, hands clenched in anger._

_It wasn't Makoto's lashing out that surprised everyone the most in trickstar, it's what came after next._

_With tear-filled eyes, Mao stares at Makoto for a second with a sad expression on his face, before he began to speak._

_"You say that I don't know what it's like but what do you know?  What do you really know Makoto? I have to be good at everything I do, I have to make everyone like me I have to comply with everyone requests because I can't stand the idea of letting you guys down I.." Mao stops himself midway, tears overflowing in his eyes._

_"Forget it." He says, storming out of the room._

And that's how it went, Makoto found Mao later and apologized, and without thinking about it Mao accepted his apology with his bright usual smile, saying that Makoto was probably stressed out so he shouldn't worry about it too much, for the past two weeks Mao has been distance with him. There were no hair ruffles, no usual friendly touches and throwing his arm around Makoto as he would do in the past. They started to slowly talk as if they were strangers, so Hokuto was right, it was stuffy to the point Subaru and Hokuto could obviously see it.

"...I don't have a problem with it." Makoto says softly, Mao raising his eyebrows and looking at him with an unreadable expression in response.

"Now that Makoto complies, Isara, what about you, are you okay with it?" Hokuto asks, worried about his unusual silence.

"If Makoto is okay with it then why not..." Mao says.

"Then it's settled!! You guys decide where to go this Saturday and end this stupid feud, okay?" Subaru says, hugging the both of them.

Makoto and Mao don't talk for the rest of the day until Mao catches Makoto when he's about to go home.

"Makoto!" Mao calls out, grasping Makoto's shoulder while catching his grasp.

 _He touched me_ Makoto thought to himself, having Mao touch him for the first time in two weeks.

"Makoto, so umm.. what do you want to do this Saturday, where do you want to go?" Mao asked, shifting a little bit.

"Ah, umm.. to be honest, any.. anywhere is fine with me as long as I'm with you," Makoto said, causing Mao's head to jerk up in response, with a stunned expression on his face.

Makoto quickly threw his hands up in response, blushing "I-I didn't really mean it in a weird way I swear! I just meant that..umm..um.. anywhere you want to go is fine with me I guess.." Makoto says, flustered.

"Oh I see.. then tomorrow we meet up at the train station at 1 PM, and then we just go from there?" Mao says.

"Sounds good! I'll see you tomorrow at 1 in the afternoon then." Makoto says with a smile.

1 PM Saturday comes quickly but slowly when you're nervous at a new level.  

For the rest of the week, the avoidance continued, the days went on and practice went on as usual, but you could still feel the tension in the air, but it felt different? The atmosphere was filled with shy, flustered interactions as opposed to the cold short ones from before the proposal.

Then comes Saturday, 1 in the afternoon.

Mao arrived first at the train station, wearing a hat,black ripped jeans a t-shirt and a bomber jacket. 10 minutes went by, then 30, with no sign of Makoto.

 _Ahh... I probably arrived way too early, didn't I?_ Mao thinks to himself, anxiety filling him as the minutes go by.

_In the first place, I totally overreacted didn't I? How do apologies work when you're fighting with your crush. This silence has kinda been my fault? Right? I haven't been as touchy with him lately, and I try my very best to avoid any interaction with him as humanly possible, and I've been cold lately too..._

_But rather than anger, I've felt more of an emotion of fear? I don't want to face him, that's all it is if I'm being honest with myself. But because of that, 've.._

Mao's inner monologue was cut short by the sound of Makoto's voice.

"Isara-kun!!" Makoto calls out, and Mao turns to face his direction and ah.

He's wearing skinny blue jeans and a shirt with a Nintendo character on it, typical of Makoto, but the only thing on Mao's mind was how different he looks in casual clothing and takes in the fact Makoto really is a model.

"Isara-kun, sorry, id you wait long?" Makoto asked, the way he's staring at Mao probably means he's admiring Mao in his casual clothes as well.

"Nah, I just got here, this is the first time we've seen each other in casual clothes in a while if we think about it?" Mao says, chuckling a bit.

"Now that you mention it you're right, it really has been a while," Makoto says, smiling back.

"......"

"....."

After a few moments of silence, Mao finally speaks. "So do you have anywhere you want to go?" He asks.

"Ah well... I wanted to start off with the game arcade if that's okay." Makoto responded. And with that, they walked to the arcade together in silence.

Once they arrive at the arcade, they cash out coins for themselves to play numerous games, from shooting to racing games. They were having so much fun playing together it made them forget about their falling out for just a nice minute.

"......." Mao stares at the Kirby plushie with glasses for a moment too long, because Makoto reaches out to him.

"Do you want it?" Makoto asks, staring at Mao as he stares down the Kirby plushie.

"Was I that obvious?" Mao says with a laugh, "I do want it but.. I'm not good at crane games." He replies.

"Which is why you have me, Isara-kun!" Makoto says with pride in his voice, Mao stares at him hesitantly.

"Then if you would, get it for me?" Mao asks softly.  _Ah. That was cute._ Makoto thinks to himself for a second.

"I'll get it for you Isara-kun, promise!" Makoto says as he puts a coin in the crane machine.

Maneuvering his way through the machine, he focuses as Mao stands close beside him, watching Makoto in admiration.

Finally, he pushes the button, Mao and Makoto watching in suspense as he catches the plushie and it falls down the slot, Mao's face lighting up in the process.

"I got it for you Isara-kun! I got it!!" Makoto says in enthusiasm, handing Mao the Kirby plushie.

"I didn't know you were so good at these types of games Makoto," Mao said, smiling fondly as he gripped the plushie.

"Ehehe, never doubt me when it comes to games Isara-kun!" Makoto said, receiving a laugh from Mao. "By the way, why that one in particular?" Makoto asked,Mao's face tinting red in response.

"That's.. It's a secret," Mao responds.

_Because it looks like you obviously..._

"Ahh! No fair Isara-kun!!" Makoto says, pestering him until Mao suddenly turns his head and suddenly they're face to face, lips just simple centimeters apart touching one another.

"....."

"....."

_Ah..Isara-kun really is so pretty. This is the part where I back away right? This is the part where I quickly bounce off and stutter out an apology? That'd be the most Makoto thing to do, wouldn't it? Yet I can't... I can't bring myself to move away. Just a little closer, if I were to just rest my hand on his cheek and..._

Letting his thoughts take over his actions, Makoto puts a hand on Mao's cheeks and moves in even closer.

 _Is he going to kiss me?_   Mao starts to think in panic. _He's definitely going to kiss me, this isn't how I thought it would go down though? I always thought I would be the one cornering him, cupping his cheeks and leaning in, I can't say I'm opposed to this though.. He sighs to himself._

"You had a mark on your cheek.." Makoto says, stroking his cheek and backing away, face flushed.

"Oh..Ohh... T-Thank you Makoto." Mao said, face getting redder and redder by the minute.

"....."

"....."

"Do you have anywhere you want to go?" Makoto asked, to clear the silence.

"...Can we go to the park then?" Mao asked, in a more serious tone.

"Ah.. the one filled with flowers, I like that one" Mao adds.

Makoto nods his head slightly, and they walk together to the park.

Once they get to their destination, silence fills the air for a second until Mao speaks "Do you want something to drink?" He asks, patting Makoto on the back.

"Ahh, if you would please, a coffee." Makoto replies with a smile, noting to himself Mao touched him again.

After Mao buys them both a hot drink, they sit beside each other in silence and watch the stars.

"Hey Makoto, can we talk?" Mao says, seeming to finally have mustered up the courage.

"Hmm? what is it Isara-kun?" Makoto replies.

"Well umm, I'm sorry, for the past two weeks I'm sorry." Mao finally says.

"No no no don't apologize for it Isara-kun! It was really my fault, I shouldn't have lashed out on you like that." Makoto says, trying to reassure Mao.

"No I.. not only that. I really am sorry for avoiding you" Mao says.

"...."  
"I've noticed it, you've noticed it, the rest of trickstar has noticed it, that's why we're even here together in the first place. I just..when you said those words to me it just made my heart sink, you know? I'm used to you calling me talented, I'm used to people idolizing me, looking up to me, but when you said it to me in a tone of anger I didn't know what to do, I honestly froze, that's pretty lame of me right?" Mao chuckles, Makoto just looks at him sadly watching Mao's eyes gleam with tears again.

"Ahh,I just.." Mao begins as he wipes his tears with his sleeve, "I'm not perfect. But I act like I am, because I have to, that way no one will throw me away. If you need help with homework, I'm here. If you need help with unit work, I'm here. If you need help with an instrument I'm here. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm..here." He chokes out.

"For the longest time, I felt as if you guys were just using me you know? A group of people genuinely being kind to me for no reason other than just being kind, I can't fathom the idea that someone would want to stick with me for a reason other than wanting something out of me."

"So when you guys pulled me out of the darkness.. I felt like I had a place where I belonged like I had a purpose." Mao says, voice getting weaker and weaker as he speaks.

"Isara-kun.." Makoto begins.

_Should I do it? I should do it, right? What kind of Makoto would I be if I didn't comfort my crush when he's having a crisis like this?_

"Isara-kun." Mao begins, gripping his hand and forcing Mao to look in the same direction as him.

"Makoto...?" Mao asks, stunned. The only thing in Mao's field of vision being the fireflies that fille the night sky, and Makoto's face.

"Isara-kun you're.. to me you're... ahaha. I don't really know how to begin with things like these, I've never really comforted someone like this before you know? What I'm about to do and say is stupid, it's dumb, pretty ridiculous, but please listen all the way through." Makoto says, Mao nodding his head in response.

"I like you! I love you in the.. in that way." Makoto begins, watching Mao's facial expression gradually change from confused to shock.

"Isara-kun... in my eyes,I think you can do anything. You're smart, you're kind, You were the first person who told me that I was a human, that I wasn't a doll. I think it was from that day that I.. that I fell in love with you."

"I don't know and can't speak for anyone else but I would never leave you, Isara-kun. You don't know how lucky we are to have someone like you as a friend, as someone who's so important to me.. Anyone who would take advantage of someone like you is missing out of something magical. Makoto says, hand still gripped on Mao's.

Mao's face renders unreadable for a moment until he lets out a grin, a sigh and rests his head on Makoto's chest.

"Ahh jeez.. what I'm seeing right now is the most magical thing though.." He laughs as he nuzzles into Makoto's chest,as if he's gotten something out of his system.

Mao is right, the current scene would probably look beautiful to a random person passing by at this time of day. There's in the park, flowers and fire-flies surrounded them, shining their little lights in the darkness.

"I love you too Makoto" Mao whispers.

Makoto sits in silence for a minute before processing what he just heard.

_Did I do it.. did I clear this trial? I told him that I loved him, and Isara-kun said he loves me back. This isn't a dream, right? Someone as amazing as Isara-kun really likes someone like me? Then I should... I should make up for what happened at the arcade, shouldn't I?_

"Hey..Isara-kun?" Makoto nudges Mao slightly.

"Hmm? What is it Makoto?" Mao replies.

"I..I um..well.. I'm going to kiss you now...i-is that okay?" Makoto says, face red and hands shaking.

Mao freezes for a second, looking him straight in the eyes after seconds of avoiding eye contact with Makoto.

As Mao nods, Makoto cups Mao's cheeks in his hands, feeling how hot they feel in his touch. Without hesitating any further, Makoto leans in and locks lips with Mao.

Warm and soft. If Mao were to choose two words to describe the kiss, those would probably be his words. It wasn't too long, but it wasn't too short either, it was perfect.

As they part from each other, they look at each other for a moment and fill the air with laughter.

"I love you." Mao states, reaching out to hold Makoto's hand again.

"I love you too." Makoto says, kissing Mao's forehead.

And thus, the two watch the night sky surrounded in their sacred flower garden, fire-flies lighting the night sky.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I suck at writing so I'm sorry in advance that this is so ooc! Constructive criticism is welcome as always


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